Despite having one of the highest unemployment rates in the country and on the heels of a 67% state income tax hike just three years ago, our legislators are once again considering raising our taxes. An amendment to the Illinois Constitution has been offered to scrap Illinois’ flat income tax and switch to a graduated, or “progressive,” one. While proponents claim this hike would only affect “the rich,” the fact is that one proposal would raise the marginal tax rate on anyone earning more than $5,000.

Recently, the suburban Daily Heraldeditorialized against this proposal saying, “In the current campaign, the relationship of the graduated tax concept to tax fairness is about the same as the relationship of red-light cameras to traffic safety. In both cases, it’s really about the money. Our state government has a major spending problem.”